6 Super Soups

Published: 19 Jan 2018

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It’s more important than ever during chemo to keep your energy and nutrients up – keeping on top of it can reduce recovery time and improve your wellbeing. This is easier said than done though, as you may well have lost your appetite, have difficulty swallowing or chewing, or your taste buds have been frazzled from the chemo. Delicate foods that are packed full of nutrients are ideal, which makes things like smoothies (see our 6 great smoothie recipes here) and soup ideal.

So, if you or your partner are at a loss for what to eat, why not try these recipes?

Carbohydrates are a major source of energy which is essential during chemotherapy for maintaining (or limiting loss of) weight and this soup has lots of it in the rice and vegetables (depending on whether you use potatoes, for example)

The soft flavour will help with those suffering from taste disruption

Vegetables are a great source of anti-oxidants

Can replace celery with other green or white vegetables if the flavour is too strong

Author: Deborah Oke

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Serving: 2 x 8-ounce servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil or butter

1 medium onion diced

2 sticks of celery, diced

1 bay leaf

1 cup Arborio rice

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

½ cup of frozen peas

½ cup frozen lima beans (optional)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in medium size Dutch oven or cast iron casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the onion, bay leaf, carrot, and celery, sprinkle with salt. Lower the heat to medium low and sweat the veggies partially covered for 8 to 10 minutes stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables have softened or are starting to colour a little.

Add the rice, stir to mix well then add the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in grated Parmesan and let the soup simmer another 5 minutes. The rice will be very soft and the soup very thick. Taste for salt.

Add the peas and beans and cook 2 to 5 minutes more or until they are just cooked. Serve with a little extra grated cheese.

Pumpkin is a superfood. It contains beta-carotene which boosts the immune system – key during chemo when the immune system may not be working as well as it could.

Alpha-carotene is present which is anti-cancer

Pumpkin is fibrous which helps with chemo-induced constipation

Tryptophan releases serotonin which helps alleviates stress and makes you feel good which will lower stress and promote positivity

Very good for people struggling to swallow with chemo

Author: Ann Ogden

Prep Time: 30mins

Serving: 2 8-ounce servings

Ingredients

½ Avocado, medium

1-inch piece of Ginger, fresh

1 cup Pumpkin, fresh

¼ cup Red Bell pepper

1 ¼ cups Coconut milk

2 tbsp Lemon juice, fresh

1 pinch Cayenne pepper powder

½ tsp Pink or sea salt

½ tsp Turmeric, powdered

1 tbsp Flax seeds

3 tbsp Untoasted walnuts

1 tsp fresh aloe very gel

Instructions

Peel, wash and cube the fresh pumpkin and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Peel one inch of fresh aloe vera leaf and scoop out the gel. Add to the pumpkin and set aside.

Add all the ingredients including the pumpkin to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.

In a double boiler, on the stove, place the soup in the top pot. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can put a heat proof bowl over a saucepan of water. Heat the two pots until the soup in the top pot is very warm to the touch. Place in bowls and serve immediately.

A good recipe to help rebuild your sense of smell (therefore taste) and appetite

Spinach is high in antioxidants, which limit oxidation of cells and the spreading of ‘free radicals’ – compounds and molecules that the body needs from time to time but have links to cancer when too abundant.

Tomato has arabinogalactans, which are a fibre that boosts lymphocytes – a key component of your immune system

However, tomato is acidic so avoid if your mouth is sensitive or has sores.

Author: Truth About Cancer

Prep time: 20 mins

Serves: 10 8-ounce servings

Ingredients:

1 beet, small

1 carrot, medium

3 garlic cloves

2 tsp oregano, dried leaves

2 red tomatoes (2 cups)

½ tsp rosemary, dried leaves

2 cups spinach, fresh

1 yellow onion, medium

1 cup yellow or red lentils

¼ tsp cayenne pepper, powder

3 tbsp flax seeds, ground

8 cups water

Instructions:

Take all ingredients except the spinach, lentils, and ground flax and place in a food processor. Blend until smooth.

Put the puree and lentils in a crock pot set for 175˚F. Allow it to slow cook for thirty minutes. Check to see if the lentils are tender. When they are, turn off heat.

Then add the ground flax, pink or sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Cover for about 5 more minutes to allow the salt, pepper, and flax to incorporate with the soup. If you add the salt during cooking it will make the lentils hard, so make sure you save the seasoning for after the cooking is complete. At this point you can add the spinach leaves to allow them to steam lightly before garnishing.

In medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a low simmer. Add ginger slices and let simmer at least 15 minutes or longer (taste to see if you have as much ginger flavour as you’d like).

If you’d like a clear soup, use a yogurt strainer or coffee filter to strain the ginger-infused chicken stock, then rinse pan and put strained stock back into pan. Add a small amount of water if the stock has reduced a lot.

While ginger simmers in stock, wash and slice mushrooms and thinly slice spinach leaves. Clean green onion and slice into very thin slices. Bring infused stock back to a low simmer, then add mushrooms and simmer 1 minute.

Add sliced spinach and simmer one minute more.

Turn off heat and add green onions, then serve soup hot, with chopsticks to eat the veggies after you drink the broth.

Although these soups are packed full of helpful chemo-kicking and immune-boosting ingredients, you can add more if you want – why not add some unflavourled protein powder if you are finding it too difficult to eat meat or nuts? Soluble vitamin and mineral supplements can help too, particularly if you find fruit too overwhelming or your appetite is still low.

Talk to your doctor about what supplements would be good to add to your diet, and what ones could conflict with your medication. Keeping yourself topped up is essential for a balanced diet capable of fighting the side effects of chemo.

These are just a few tried and tested recipes to give you some inspiration. But please take care – they may not be suitable for everyone subject to allergies and intolerances. Plus, it’s advisable to check with your health care professional for a list of foods you should avoid whilst undergoing chemo treatment.